How the Cat Met the Hat
by Puss In Heels
Summary: How did Train and Sven come to be partners anyway?  The story of how an unlikely duo became partners...and friends.  Follows the manga storyline and timeline.  First Black Cat fic!


This is my first foray into Black Cat fanfiction, and I hope you enjoy it. This goes by the manga timeline, and I will always follow the manga when I'm writing a story. I think it's more interesting, and it's easier to reference.

Disclaimer: I do not own Black Cat or any of its characters.

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There he was, in the middle of broad daylight. Sven checked the bulletin just to be sure.

Jack Adams – Wanted for Arson. Bounty - $5,000

For Sven, the bounty was good. He adjusted his hat and pulled out his gun – very similar to the model he used to own in his IBI days. Adams was there, right at the newspaper stand. Sure, he was disguised, but even the most inexperienced sweeper could see through it. And Sven had been catching crooks for a long time.

Sven quietly approached the target and bumped into him, making him spill his coffee. Adams reached down to pick up his cup when Sven turned his gun on him.

"I'm a sweeper. Don't even think about moving."

Jack Adams didn't like to go quietly. He pulled out a knife and took a swing at Sven. Sven dodged, but the knife blade nicked his eye patch, allowing it to fall to the ground.

Sven didn't hesitate. He grabbed Adams, pinning his hands behind his back and quickly cuffed him…IBI style.

"I told you…you shouldn't have moved," Sven said as Adams slowly stopped struggling.

That was when it happened.

Before he could so much as call the cops, a familiar feeling entered his brain as his exposed vision eye saw something peculiar. Sven's eyes widened.

All he saw were two things. One was a figure shooting a gun. And then he saw a number. A roman numeral XIII.

Sven couldn't help but let himself get distracted. He knew the rumors. He knew that the Black Cat had betrayed Chronos, and he was executed. The news of his death had reached all kinds of criminal circles. Even the sweepers were buzzing about the Black Cat's death and how many more lives would be spared – lives that could be used to collect bounty.

Adams didn't bother waiting for Sven's inner monologue and broke free of Sven's grip. He tried to make a break for it, but Sven wasn't distracted for long. He pulled out his gun, took aim, and…

*BANG*

One shot clipped the running man's leg, and he crumpled to the ground. But the shot didn't come from Sven's gun.

"Hey, old man! I think you forgot something!"

A young man hopped down dramatically from a small building's rooftop. Sven twitched.

"I'm 28 years old, thank you very much! And I had things under control."

Sven scooped up his eye patch and readjusted it, muttering under his breath about showoffs and young people.

"For your information, kid, I was bringing in that guy for his bounty. Alone."

The young man shrugged and turned to look at the man lying on the ground, clutching his leg. Sven went over to join him, and a burst of realization entered his mind.

_The shooter from my vision! He's got to be…him! Alive, well, and quite annoying._

Sven checked his target, who had passed out either from the pain or the young man's whack to his head. Sven smirked.

"So…how long are you going to hide that tattoo…Black Cat?"

The young man turned to Sven, no longer grinning from ear to ear. He was still smiling, but was clearly much more serious.

"What gave you that idea?"

"Let's say I had a hunch."

"Heh," Train chuckled. "Of course…another sweeper."

Sven lit up a cigarette before answering.

"There are some people you can't hide things from, but I don't give a damn about that. I only have one question. Why'd you interfere with my collar?"

The Black Cat cocked his head and laughed, before pulling out a flyer – the flyer with Jack Adams' bounty on it.

"You're a…sweeper? Since when?"

"Since yesterday, when I picked up this flyer."

Sven grabbed the flyer and looked at him.

"Do you have a license?"

"Huh?"

"A sweeper license, you idiot!"

"You…need a license?"

Exasperated, Sven pulled out his own license and showed it the former assassin, who promptly burst into laughter.

"You're picture's terrible! What is that ridiculous thing on your face? Man, I didn't know license pictures could be that bad!" the man giggled before Sven whacked him to the ground.

"Well, at least I have a license. And I can actually collect bounties, unlike you."

The Black Cat picked himself up and brushed himself off. He wasn't smiling at all now.

"You…just hit me. Of all the people to get on your bad side…"

Sven watched as the Black Cat reached for his gun, his eyes flashing menacingly. Sven didn't flinch. He knew he was in no danger. There was just something about this guy that just…didn't fit.

"You deserved it. Who are you anyway?" Sven asked. Train looked at him thoughtfully.

"I think you answered that question earlier, Sven," replied Train, remembering Sven's name from the license.

"I didn't ask who you were; I asked who you are," Sven said, a smirk on his face. Train stared at Sven a few minutes before moving. The former assassin pulled out his infamous weapon and tossed it in the air.

"Train…Train Heartnet. Sweeper."

"Not without your license, idiot."

"Yeah…could you help with that, Svenny baby?"

"Enough with the nicknames, Train!"

Train laughed and holstered his gun.

"Aw, c'mon Sven, I need a license, and I don't know how to get one!"

"Why do I have a hard time buying that?" Sven muttered sarcastically.

As the two men continued their banter, a third sweeper walked by, looked at the unconscious man on the ground, and dragged him away to claim his bounty. Train and Sven looked at each other, utterly confused.

"It's your fault!" they shouted, pointing at one another.

"Train! That sweeper walked away with my meal ticket!"

"Hey, speaking of which…I'm hungry. Got any food?"

Sven stomped his cigarette out furiously.

"You try and steal my bounty, ask for a sweeper license, let my collar get away, and then you ask to mooch FOOD?"

"Hey."

Train's voice went icy cold. Not the fake attitude he was giving Sven earlier, but real focus crept into his voice. Sven noticed something off as well.

"Train…that guy who walked by…he wasn't a sweeper. He was…"

"His partner," Train finished, pulling out his gun. Sven noticed out of the corner of his eye two men. One was the fake sweeper. The other was Jack Adams with a lit match in his hand.

"Let's see you clowns get out of this!" Adams yelled, tossing the match.

Sven and Train seemed to synch together naturally. Sven easily moved out of the way while Train raised his gun.

*BANG*

The match hadn't even touched the ground. Train had intercepted it with a bullet, neutralizing the flame. Sven used this opportunity to jump behind Adams, pointing his gun at his head. Train's gun was still raised, pointing directly at the fake sweeper.

"Trying to start a fire when civilians are present? Talk about a scumbag," Train said, shaking his head. Sven chuckled, calling over to Train.

"Hey…if you let THIS meal ticket get away, you're buying me dinner!"

()()()()

As Sven came back with the bounty money, Train smiled. Sven handed Train a wad of cash.

"Here's your cut. Get lost, Train."

"Why would I do that, Svenny-Baby?" Train asked innocently.

"Because, if you call me that again, I'll get a migraine that I don't need."

Train laughed.

"Sven…you're not bad with a gun," Train said, prompting Sven to roll his eyes.

"I was in the IBI…but that can't hold a candle to YOUR firearms experience."

"Well…I suppose not."

Train and Sven locked eyes and stared each other down. Then, a thought burst into Train's head.

"Hey…what if we teamed up?"

Sven looked astonished.

"Wh…what?"

"You and me…partners of a sort."

Sven looked at Train carefully.

"I would have guessed you'd be the type to work alone."

Train shook his head.

"You can't ignore chemistry, Sven. C'mon, you noticed it, right? Maybe...working with another sweeper can help me. I think you could help me start the life of the stray cat," Train said calmly. He was genuinely asking Sven to work with him, not even in a joking way. Sven thought a while. He hadn't had a partner since Lloyd…was this really a good idea? Sven studied Train's eyes before coming up with a response.

"Only if you answer this question honestly. Why do you want to be a sweeper?"

Train closed his eyes, smiling fondly.

"Living freely, not bound to anyone or anything – it's what I've yearned for. I think it's the lifestyle that suits me…I'm a stray cat now. I serve no one."

Sven nodded.

"I haven't had a partner in five years. This could be interesting."

"Now I have a question for you, Sven," Train began, looking serious. "All this time, you haven't once asked me about Chronos. Not one question. Why not?"

"It's your business," Sven responded quickly, not even stopping to think. "If you wanted to tell me, you'd tell me. That's all there is to it."

"Fair enough."

The two men walked back to Sven's car silently, as if they'd been partners for years. All was well until Sven stopped. He turned to his new partner after a thought struck him.

"Train…you didn't partner with me just for the food, did you?"

Sven sighed as a devilish grin crept onto Train's face.

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Honestly, there's not enough Black Cat fanfiction on this site. Oh well, I hope you enjoyed. Reviews are always welcome.


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